the charm | winrina

fifteen

Two weeks had passed since the game.

By now, there were only four couples left: Karina and Winter, Liz and Rei, Dayeon and Chaehyun, and Chaewon and Yunjin.

The last two couples would be determined by popular voting. The voting would take place after a competition during which each couple would be told to impress the audience, to make the audience fall in love with them and vote for them.

There would also be something afterward, but the production team didn't specify what. Hyoyeon didn't either, so Karina assumed that it would be something unimportant.

"Your prompt!" Hyoyeon boomed.

The eight contestants were sitting in a circle in the gazebo. Chaehyun was already in full makeup and looking flawless, while Dayeon sipped from a cup next to her. Yunjin and Chaewon were cuddled in the corner of the gazebo bench, Chaewon's face squished sleepily against Yunjin's cheek. Liz and Rei were sitting in the center of the bench, making quiet conversation with each other, heads close together.

Meanwhile, Karina, who was still half-awake, struggled to keep her head aloft, blinking every few seconds. Hyoyeon's voice was certainly an excellent distraction, but the heat and comforting crash of the waves made her feel... so...

"Hey, baby girl."

Karina blinked, turning in the direction of the voice and meeting the eyes of a smirking Winter Kim.

"I told you"- she yawned -"not to call me that."

"And when have I ever listened to you, sweetheart?" Winter questioned, still grinning, and leaned forward to peck Karina's nose. "Stay awake, 'kay? We have to make the audience love us, remember?"

"Just spring a couple lines at the camera and we'll be fine."

Karina's exhausted brain didn't realize what she'd said until Winter's smirk widened and she leaned even closer.

"Are you saying my lines work on you?"

"I- shut up," Karina grumbled, fully awake, turning to face Hyoyeon. "You are so immature sometimes."

"Only for you, baby girl."

"What did I say about calling me that?"

"You yawned in the middle, cutie. My bad if I didn't listen."

Hyoyeon's loud voice boomed before Karina could retort, listing out the challenge for the day. The contestants were given one minute each to introduce themselves and talk about their likes and dislikes. Then they were given five minutes of screentime to demonstrate their chemistry with their partner. Finally, they had to do four challenges together that demonstrated the way they worked together to compliment each other's skills, plus a beach photoshoot to show their visual appeal.

"We've got the visual part down," Winter whispered to Karina. "Well, you do, mostly. You're the photographer. Aren't you a master of this sort of thing?"

"Yeah, but just because I can take a photo doesn't mean I'll look good in it."

"Karina," Winter said forcefully, and Karina looked up in surprise. "Don't ever say that again."

"... That I know how to take a-"

"That you don't look good in pictures," Winter answered, cutting her off. "You're gorgeous. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise, okay?"

Karina blinked, and that was the moment.

Winter was staring at her, red hair blowing gently in the wind, dark eyes honest and sweet. There was an adorably firm look on her face, and Karina found herself smiling softly, the corners of her lips quirking upwards.